Date:24/01/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/01/24/stories/2008012454280600.htm

Andhra Pradesh

Panel briefed about atrocity cases

Staff Reporter

SC organisations submit representations

Photo: T. Vijaya Kumar

Representatives of SC organisations arguing with members of the SC Legislative Committee at a meeting in Guntur on Wednesday. —

GUNTUR: Representations of various Scheduled Castes organisations on Wednesday brought to the notice of the S.C. Legislative House Committee pending cases relating to atrocities on SCs and STs. Among the major issues which were brought to the fore were the suspicious death of Kanagala Venkaiah at Amruthaluru village, the deteriorating conditions in the Social Welfare hostels and distribution of land to landless Dalits. Committee Chairman S. Gangaram was present.

Leaders of these organisations alleged that the police sided with the influential people of upper castes and were trying to portray it as an incident of suicide.

The police have not even taken cognizance of any of the directions given by the SC/ST Commission in this regard, they complained. Congress S.C. Cell Chairman Jelli Rajamohan, Dalit Bahujan Front and Mala Mahanadu leaders were among those who submitted representations.

They also demanded the State Government to scarp the common directorate system and the proposal mooted by the Centre to limit scholarships to SC students, who secure above 60 per cent in their Intermediate examinations.

Scholarships

Mala Mahanadu president K. Chennakesavalu said that SC and ST students would lose 2.24 lakh seats in 279 Gurukulams and 74,189 seats in 92 ST Gurukulams respectively.

Student organisations, Students Federation of India and Progressive Democratic Students Organisation too demanded the committee to pressurise the Centre to withdraw the G.O passed to limit the scholarships to only meritorious students.

Dalit Bahujan Front State general secretary M. Bhagya Rao asked the committee to ask the district administration to initiate measures to restore the 40 acres at Rayapudi village in Tulluru mandal to Dalits, who have already been given pattas.

They also demanded restoration of the assigned land, large chunks of which has been encroached by upper castes.

He also demanded the House Committee to take responsibility for filing appeal in the High Court against the special court verdict in the Tsundur massacre case.